Frida Emanuelsson, COO at Strand Kapitalförvaltning: “Digitalization will play a big part in reaching those not interested in finance today”

Frida Emanuelsson has a long and wide experience in the asset management industry, working at banks such as Swedbank Robur and Nordnet. Her broad experience and client-focused approach come from both sales and administrative roles, enabling her to quickly identify areas for improvement and drive projects that contribute to organizational development.

This is also what she’s doing in her role today as COO at Strand Kapitalförvaltning, where she leverages her expertise to streamline internal operations and create better products for clients.

– It’s fun to visualize and plan improvements. I often envision things as processes, which helps me identify redundant routines and tasks and figure out how to improve them. By reducing time spent on tasks which can be made more efficient, you can spend more time on the clients, Frida says and continues:

– My broad experience allows me to approach tasks with both client focus and efficiency. That’s what drives me; streamlining processes, enhancing quality for clients, and creating new products that will improve their experiences.

Individualized solutions based on customer preferences

Some might argue that open banking and digitalization have led to a democratization of financial services. But according to Frida, it’s not that simple.

– As a result of constantly changing regulations, some companies have found it challenging to keep up, leading to consolidation in the market. However, I’ve seen new solutions emerge that offer greater flexibility and provide previously unavailable solutions, she says and continues:

– With this in mind, many new companies have decided to specialize in broader focus areas, allowing smaller companies to work closely with them to streamline their operations. This has created opportunities for smaller asset managers, such as Strand. By collaborating with various tech companies, even the smaller companies can become efficient and thus be able to continue to focus on their main business.

Being flexible is an advantage when meeting the ever-changing needs of consumers today. Frida believes that the future asset management industry will consist of streamlining and individualizing, at the same time:

– Consumers today want next-level tailormade solutions. They want to set their own framework and preferences, and those companies truly meeting those demands are adapting to the future. Customers want to feel they’ve been part of the decision-making process instead of just being passed between standardized solutions, she says and continues:

– Previously, it has demanded too much administration to do this, but now with the opportunities of digitalization, it will be possible – just by collaborating with the right companies.

Getting more interested in their finances

Many expect digitalization to partly or fully transform the asset management industry in the coming years. And the industry has come a long way so far, but there are still some gaps to be filled and trends to watch out for.

– In my opinion, there’s no adequate comprehensive solution providing a clear picture of my personal financial situation with suggestions based on data; concerning not only savings and investments but also insurance, unnecessary expenses, and occupational pensions, for example. I think that would make more people interested in their financial lives.

And that’s another important question for Frida – reaching those not interested in finance – where she thinks digitalization will play a big part.

– Digitalization will play a big part in reaching those not interested in finance today. We must find ways to engage them, making finance more accessible and active in their lives, she says and continues:

– Digitalization has the power to engage everyone and enable them to be more active in their financial lives; it's just us working in the industry that has to make it happen.